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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27595967">love's emulous ardours</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/bene_elim/pseuds/bene_elim'>bene_elim</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>balthamos/baruch kiss prompts [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Fluff, Kisses, Love Confessions, M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-07 00:14:12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>412</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27595967</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/bene_elim/pseuds/bene_elim</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>kiss prompts for b/b!! two prompts in one this time: whispering “i love you” before a chaste, delicate kiss &amp; kissing tears from the other’s face</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Balthamos/Baruch</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>balthamos/baruch kiss prompts [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2016125</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>love's emulous ardours</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>thanks to vienna! again unbetaed! the title is from dante gabriel rossetti's poem <i>the kiss</i>!</p>
<p>i combined two prompts into one because the second one seemed angsty and i dont really do angst so i made it fluffy!!! prompts: whispering “i love you” before a chaste, delicate kiss &amp; kissing tears from the other’s face</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Balthamos took Baruch’s hand in his, his heart in his throat. He wanted to say something that they had not said yet, despite their long love affair. It was very simple, he thought, but so utterly difficult at the same time, so daunting, so intimidating. He knew Baruch felt the same for him as he did for him, but when it came to admitting it out loud, all courage immediately fled him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>So Balthamos took Baruch’s hand in his and closed his eyes.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Baruch,” he whispered, and then paused. How could such simple words really, truly convey how he felt? How much he felt? How overflowing his heart was?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hm?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I wish to tell you something, but you must understand, my beloved, that these words do not encompass all that I feel. In fact, I am sure that there are no words in all the languages in all the universes that can encompass how I truly feel, for my heart is so full. But I must tell you nonetheless, I must, for otherwise I shall burst from the emotion I have: I love you. I love you, I love you, I love you, and these words aren’t enough but they are all I have. I love you.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>When Balthamos opened his eyes, it was to the sight of tears streaming down Baruch’s cheeks. He was worried for a heart-wrenching moment, for a desperate moment, his throat closing up and choking him. But then all he knew was that Baruch’s was leaning closer, closer still, and he wondered why, if Baruch were to reject him now, he would be coming so close to do so.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But no, instead, he found lips softly placed upon his own, just the softest touch. So soft he barely felt it, like a butterfly touch. So delicate. So gentle.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I don’t need your words,” Baruch said when he lifted carefully away. “I just need you.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He was still crying, emotions high, and Balthamos stretched up, on his toes, to kiss each tear track, to kiss away the salt and the wetness, to kiss Baruch’s eyelids before they could release any more tears. He made sure to be as gentle and soft as Baruch had been with him, his lips barely touching his cheek before lifting off and seeking the next teardrop to erase with a kiss.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I love you too, if it wasn’t clear,” Baruch said as Balthamos leant back.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And Balthamos just had to kiss him again.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>thanks for reading!! come join the hdm discord server - message me at virgll.tumblr.com!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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